Landlord guide, Pennsylvania (PA)
Pennsylvania eviction process: the landlord’s steps from notice to removal
The eviction process in Pennsylvania starts with the 10-day notice to quit: 10 calendar days for unpaid rent (68 P.S. § 250.501(b), (e); 68 P.S. § 250.503(c)). Then the landlord files in the magisterial district court, where the case is called landlord and tenant action for possession; the court hears it, and after judgment a court officer carries out the removal.
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- Notice for unpaid rent
- 10 calendar days
- 68 P.S. § 250.501(b), (e); 68 P.S. § 250.503(c)
- Court
- magisterial district court
- 68 P.S. §§ 250.502, 250.503; Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 504, 515, 518, 519, 1002(B)
- Time to appeal
- 10 days
- 68 P.S. §§ 250.502, 250.503; Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 504, 515, 518, 519, 1002(B)
- Checked against the statutes
- 1 November 2026
Step by step
The eviction process Pennsylvania landlords follow, step by step
Notice and court names are given as they read on Pennsylvania’s own forms, and timing details are quoted from the statute.
- 1
Step 1
Serve the notice
Unpaid rent: the 10-day notice to quit, 10 calendar days (68 P.S. § 250.501(b), (e); 68 P.S. § 250.503(c)).
The statute gives the tenant no right to stop the eviction by paying inside the period.
Another breach of the lease: the 15-day notice to quit, 15 calendar days (68 P.S. § 250.501(b), (e)).
No reason, month to month: 15 days’ notice (68 P.S. § 250.501).
What the statute adds, in English
The lease may shorten or waive the notice. Paying within the 10 days is not a statutory cure, but in a case brought only for unpaid rent the tenant can stop the eviction by paying the arrears and costs before the order for possession is carried out.
- 2
Step 2
File the eviction in court
File in the magisterial district court, where the case is called landlord and tenant action for possession (68 P.S. §§ 250.502, 250.503; Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 504, 515, 518, 519, 1002(B)).
- 3
Step 3
Go to the hearing
In the statute, in English
7 to 15 days after the complaint is filed
- 4
Step 4
Judgment and appeal
If the court rules for you, the tenant has 10 days to appeal.
- 5
Step 5
Removal by a court officer
An officer of the court carries out the removal, on the court’s order.
In the statute, in English
order for possession may be requested after the 10th day following judgment; eviction on or after the 11th day after it is served
Pennsylvania eviction process timeline
- Notice before filing
- 10 calendar days
- Time to answer
- Not confirmed
- Hearing
- Quoted in step 3
- Time to appeal
- 10 days
- Removal
- Quoted in step 5
Only some steps have a number in the statute, so no honest total exists: after filing, the court sets the pace.
Can you change the locks yourself?
No. Pennsylvania bans self-help eviction (statute not confirmed), so only the court process can remove a tenant.
The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 has no section expressly banning lockouts or utility shutoffs. Pennsylvania courts treat the court process as the only lawful way to recover possession, so this rests on case law.
The court process is the safe course in every state.
Write the Pennsylvania eviction notice
Fill in the notice for Pennsylvania in the generator, then read the rest of the state’s landlord law before you serve it.
Where Dardaris comes in
Most evictions start as one late payment. Dardaris sees it on day one.
It notices the missed rent the day it is due, sends the tenant a reminder, and if nothing comes, drafts the Pennsylvania notice with its 10 calendar days. You read it and sign; nothing goes out without you.
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Dardaris
The statutes
Pennsylvania eviction laws, with the statute behind each step
| Step | What the law says | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Notice for unpaid rent | 10-day notice to quit10 calendar daysNo statutory right to pay and stayThe lease may shorten or waive the notice. Paying within the 10 days is not a statutory cure, but in a case brought only for unpaid rent the tenant can stop the eviction by paying the arrears and costs before the order for possession is carried out. | 68 P.S. § 250.501(b), (e); 68 P.S. § 250.503(c) |
| Notice for a lease breach | 15-day notice to quit15 calendar days15 days for a lease of one year or less or of indeterminate length, 30 days for a lease longer than one year. The lease may shorten or waive the notice, and the statute is silent on a right to cure. | 68 P.S. § 250.501(b), (e) |
| Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy | 15 days15 days for a lease of one year or less or of indeterminate term; 30 days for a lease of more than one year. | 68 P.S. § 250.501 |
| How a notice is served | personal service on the tenantleaving it at the principal building on the premisesposting it conspicuously on the leased premises | 68 P.S. § 250.501(f) |
| Court and action | magisterial district courtlandlord and tenant action for possession | 68 P.S. §§ 250.502, 250.503; Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 504, 515, 518, 519, 1002(B) |
| Time to answer | Not confirmed from the statute | Not confirmed from the statute |
| Hearing | 7 to 15 days after the complaint is filed | 68 P.S. §§ 250.502, 250.503; Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 504, 515, 518, 519, 1002(B) |
| Time to appeal | 10 days | 68 P.S. §§ 250.502, 250.503; Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 504, 515, 518, 519, 1002(B) |
| Removal | order for possession may be requested after the 10th day following judgment; eviction on or after the 11th day after it is served | 68 P.S. §§ 250.502, 250.503; Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 504, 515, 518, 519, 1002(B) |
| Self-help (lockouts, utilities) | BannedThe Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 has no section expressly banning lockouts or utility shutoffs. Pennsylvania courts treat the court process as the only lawful way to recover possession, so this rests on case law. | Not confirmed from the statute |
Read against the official texts below on 1 November 2026. The month-to-month period was checked on 29 September 2026.
- https://www.palegis.us/statutes/unconsolidated/law-information/view-statute?txtType=PDF&SessYr=1951&SessInd=0&ActNum=0020.
- https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/246/chapter500/s504.html
- https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/246/chapter500/s515.html
- https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/246/chapter500/s518.html
- https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/246/chapter500/s519.html
- https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/246/chapter1000/s1002.html
- https://codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-68-ps-real-and-personal-property/pa-st-sect-68-250-501/
- https://codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-68-ps-real-and-personal-property/pa-st-sect-68-250-511a/
- https://codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-68-ps-real-and-personal-property/pa-st-sect-68-250-511b/
- https://codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-68-ps-real-and-personal-property/pa-st-sect-68-250-512/
Questions landlords ask about eviction in Pennsylvania
How long does an eviction take in Pennsylvania?
The notice for unpaid rent runs 10 calendar days before you can file. After that the court sets the pace, so there is no honest total: the hearing, the judgment and the removal follow the court’s calendar and the timing rules quoted on this page.
What notice does a Pennsylvania landlord serve for unpaid rent?
The 10-day notice to quit, which gives the tenant 10 calendar days (68 P.S. § 250.501(b), (e); 68 P.S. § 250.503(c)). The statute gives the tenant no right to stop the eviction by paying inside the period.
Can a landlord change the locks in Pennsylvania?
No. Pennsylvania bans self-help eviction (statute not confirmed), so only the court process can remove a tenant. The exact limits are quoted on this page.
Where is an eviction filed in Pennsylvania?
In the magisterial district court, where the case is called landlord and tenant action for possession (68 P.S. §§ 250.502, 250.503; Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 504, 515, 518, 519, 1002(B)).
Eviction process in PA with no lease: which notice applies?
A tenant with no written lease who pays monthly is usually a month-to-month tenant, and Pennsylvania asks for 15 days’ notice to end that tenancy (68 P.S. § 250.501). For unpaid rent, the notice in step 1 applies all the same.
Can the tenant appeal an eviction in Pennsylvania?
Yes. The tenant has 10 days after the judgment to appeal.
Does the eviction process in Philadelphia differ from the rest of Pennsylvania?
The statutes on this page apply across Pennsylvania, Philadelphia included. The local court that hears evictions there, and any city or county rule added on top, can change the paperwork and the pace, so check with that court before you file.
The eviction process in other states
- North Dakota: 3 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Ohio: 3 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Oklahoma: 5 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Oregon: 10 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Rhode Island: 5 calendar days for unpaid rent
- South Carolina: 5 court days for unpaid rent
- South Dakota: no notice before filing
- Tennessee: 14 calendar days for unpaid rent
General information, not legal adviceEviction law changes, and a court can read a statute differently from this summary. Check the current text and your local court’s rules, or ask a lawyer licensed in the state, before you serve a notice or file.
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